Too bass-heavy for me. That said, the bass is quite amazing. I'm not sure I heard a HP with better bass - punch, clarity, accuracy, etc. But my ears liked a little more brightness.
The Closed-Back Headphone Thread (Plus Comparisons & Reviews)
- Thread starter Malevolent
- Start date
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- audio-technica
Too bass-heavy for me. That said, the bass is quite amazing. I'm not sure I heard a HP with better bass - punch, clarity, accuracy, etc. But my ears liked a little more brightness.
As I mentioned, I too loved the d9200's. They were my top pick the entire time until I tried the MKII's with these pads. If you can, give 'em a try. I'd love to hear what you think.
I can do that. Just don't judge too harshly, I'm probably not a very good reviewer!
Mhog55
Headphoneus Supremus
I've sent my friend and co-worker into the rabbit hole (my bad). He just purchased an Ibasso DX160, and I sold him my spare 58X. He's after a closed back now, but he doesn't want to spend over 250 just yet. He needs something that can be used balanced. The only cans that come to mind are -
Msr7b
Mdr-1am2
99 Noir
I'm going to let him borrow my 99 Classics so he can get a feel for them. Please advise if anything else comes to mind.
So this thread has pretty much been about higher end cans, but I'd like to hear which closed headphones under 300 dollars people enjoy. For me (what I've heard), I'd have to go with the B&O H6. I had mine modded for balanced use, and I still listen to them often.
Msr7b
Mdr-1am2
99 Noir
I'm going to let him borrow my 99 Classics so he can get a feel for them. Please advise if anything else comes to mind.
So this thread has pretty much been about higher end cans, but I'd like to hear which closed headphones under 300 dollars people enjoy. For me (what I've heard), I'd have to go with the B&O H6. I had mine modded for balanced use, and I still listen to them often.
Hi all, I currently have the Amiron Home and loving the sound and now looking for a closed back for home and on the move that's similar sounding or a notch up. has anyone got any suggestions please?
Terriero
Headphoneus Supremus
List your favorites genres and your approx budget. Will be helpful for the experts here
Here's a review of a few of the sub-$1,000 headphones in my collection, the Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back, the Campfire Audio Cascade, and the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed.
Let's hop to it!
All headphones were tested with their stock cables. I have not done any mods to any of these 3 headphones.
Bass
The LCD-2 Closed Back has a typical planar-magnetic bass presentation, with tight, snappy beats and a speedy decay. Transients are also fast and well-defined. Thankfully, with a slight push in the mid-bass, it avoids sounding sterile; the slight hump provides a good degree of rumble and authority. Overall, the Audeze has the cleanest lows within this trio. If you love fast, tight bass, but you still need that little bit of rumble and slam, the LCD-2 Closed Back provides a near-perfect experience.
The Campfire Audio Cascade, however, simply does away with any pleasantries introduced by the LCD-2 Closed Back. With a mammoth injection of mid-bass, the Cascade has the strongest and most prominent low-end presence. If you love a huge bass section, you will definitely gravitate toward the Campfire headphone; it is thick and flavorful, with a visceral, tangible punch. However, with its massive mid-bass bump comes a slew of issues - decay is slow on the Cascade, and the excessive mid-bass bleeds into the lower-mids. Thankfully, it retains impressive texture, so if you can find a way to tone down the mid-bass bloat, you'll enjoy the lows on them.
Lastly, the AEON 2 Closed takes a middle-ground between the 2; it hovers closer to the Audeze than it does the Campfire Audio, though. Lows are prominent, with a nice, textured layer of warmth and bloom in the lower registers. There is very good sub-bass rumble on the Dan Clark headphone, probably the best of the 3. Impact is decent, albeit a little soft around the edges. If you want clean, fast, articulate lows, à la typical planars, the AEON 2 Closed does not do the job adequately. In fact, at times it sounds closer to a dynamic driver than it does a planar. I'm not knocking it, though - I generally prefer the sound of a well-tuned dynamic.
Winner: The AEON 2 Closed provides a good blend of the 2. It isn't as heavy in the lows as the Cascade, but it doesn't sound as defined or sculpted as the LCD-2 Closed either. However, if you want tight, clean bass, choose the Audeze instead. If all you want is strong, textured lows, the Cascade might just fit the bill.
Midrange
The midrange on the LCD-2 Closed Back is the most forward of the 3, but only by a hair over the AEON 2 Closed. Vocals are chiseled well, with a strong presence. There is a slight hint of warmth throughout; this isn't pervasive, though. As with its vocal reproduction capabilities, instruments are similarly well-defined. Overall, the midrange on the Audeze is clear and distinct. However, it sounds the least organic, with a slight metallic timbre throughout.
Switching to the Cascade, you'll notice a world of change. "Thanks" to its excessive mid-bass, there is bleed into the lower-mids, causing some degree of congestion. Thankfully, mids have a natural tone; everything sounds smooth, full and lush. However, it can also sound mushy and diffuse. To make things worse, as the midrange section is the most recessed of the 3, vocals sound distant and, at times, detached.
The AEON 2 Closed fixes a lot of the issues present in the aforementioned 2 headphones. It has forward mids, relative to the Cascade, so vocals and instruments are immediately more distinct and palpable. With a slight bloom in the midrange, and a richness that is lacking in the LCD-2 Closed Back, the Dan Clark headphone has the most authoritative vocals on display. To top it all off, it has the most organic timbre. In contrast with the Audeze, the AEON 2 Closed loses out in a sheer definition in the mids.
Winner: Quite easily, the AEON 2 Closed. It has the most natural vocal reproduction capabilities of the 3, and has mids that are relatively clean and free of bloat or congestion. The LCD-2 Closed has a clear and expressive midrange; however, it didn't sound too natural to my ears. Lastly, the Cascade has a warm and lush midrange, but it is marred by excessive mush.
Treble
The LCD-2 Closed Back is easily the brightest of the 3 headphones. Highs are brilliant with good articulation. Neither of the 3 headphones are airy-sounding (naturally), but the Audeze does the best job of simulating this aspect. However, the LCD-2 Closed Back also has the unfortunate tendency of sounding a little too shrill at times, a tad too harsh on occasion. However, it has the best treble extension of the lot.
The Cascade, sadly, has highs that are muted in comparison with its 2 contemporaries. It lacks air and clarity, and has poor extension, with an apparent roll-off at the upper registers. Thankfully, it retains some decent sparkle, with adequate control.
Lastly, the AEON 2 Closed does a good job of crafting a great treble presentation. It isn't as bright as the LCD-2 Closed Back, but it's nearly there, with brilliant highs that are sprinkled with fine grain and coated in a layer of sparkle. It also has good control, so you don't approach harsh territory with the Dan Clark Audio. As with the Audeze, the treble on display is well-defined, with great articulation.
Winner: It's a tie between the LCD-2 Closed Back and the AEON 2 Closed. If you want brighter highs, and you're not sensitive to sibilance, the Audeze provides a better experience, with a clean treble section. The AEON 2 Closed dials it down a notch in terms of brightness, but retains sparkle and good control.
Technicalities
The Audeze is the most resolving headphone in this shootout, but only by a small margin over the AEON 2 Closed. Micro-detail retrieval is effortless. It also ticks a lot of the other pertinent boxes - it has good layering, very good dynamics, and reproduces detail without a sweat in crowded passages.
The Cascade, at first glance, has no resolving capabilities. Of course, you'll have to listen better, as its technical chops are masked under all that bass. It doesn't reproduce detail in as facile a manner as the LCD-2 Closed Back, but it does do a pretty decent job in this territory. However, it struggles to separate instruments into distinct components, resulting in cramped and congested sound.
The AEON 2 Closed, as always, stays either a step ahead or behind the LCD-2 Closed Back. In this aspect, it lags by a hair - it has very good resolution, too. The Dan Clark headphone doesn't struggle to match the Audeze in terms of clarity and detail; however, there's a slight bloom in its sound that tends to cast a veil over its sound, but only by a very fine margin.
Winner: The LCD-2 Closed takes the trophy in this round, with an effortless ability to reproduce micro-detail. Clarity is its trump card, with the other 2 lagging behind in these aspects; the AEON 2 Closed a half-step down, with the Cascade several rungs beneath.
Soundstage & Imaging
The LCD-2 Closed Back has the widest stage of the 3, with good depth into the furthest reaches of the stage. It produces very good imaging cues throughout.
The Cascade doesn't have as wide a sound scape, but surprisingly, it has the deepest stage. It also has precise imaging chops.
The AEON 2 Closed doesn't fare very well here, with the smallest stage of the 3. It has the most intimate sound. Left-to-right imaging is also average.
Winner: Probably the LCD-2 Closed Back, but not by much over the Cascade. The AEON 2 Closed was the loser in this category.
Comfort
Bottom-line, the LCD-2 Closed Back is not comfortable, period. It is heavy and has the tightest clamp. This is a deadly duo, as far as comfort is concerned. The pads are also nothing to write home about. Ouch.
The Cascade is lighter, with a moderate clamp. It isn't the most comfortable headphone, but it's far from being an uncomfortable one, too. I have used it for 2-3 hours at a go, and I didn't suffer any permanent neck damage.
The AEON 2 Closed is clearly the winner in this category. It is the lightest, with a really comfortable headband. The pads are also decently enveloping; they also feel the most plush of the 3. Good job!
Winner: There is only 1. Then there is the Cascade, trailing behind. At the bottom of the charts, you have the LCD-2 Closed Back.
Final Thoughts
My initial thoughts were confirmed in this shootout - the LCD-2 Closed Back and the AEON 2 Closed are the 2 best headphones, with the Cascade lagging by some margin. I don't think that the Campfire Audio headphone is bad per se, but the excessive bass bloat presents a world of issues.
If you're in the market for a bass-slanted planar, exhibiting the typical planar strengths, the LCD-2 Closed is an easy choice for consideration within the sub-$1,000 mark. It has great technical capabilities, with well-defined bass and treble sections. Unfortunately, it also sounds the least natural of the 3.
The AEON 2 Closed is my personal favorite; it probably comes within 95% of the Audeze in terms of clarity and detail, but blends a warm, natural and lush tone with decent-to-good technical capabilities to afford the most musical signature of the 3.
List your favorites genres and your approx budget. Will be helpful for the experts here
Thank you
I listen to most things but mainly rock/pop, soul, reggae, electronic and classical. I could go between £500-800
Terriero
Headphoneus Supremus
I had bad experiencies with closed back headphones in the past (Beyerdynamic MMX 300 first generation and Sennheiser PC 350). I remember playing Bioshock 1 with the MMX 300 and switched to my old Sennheiser HD 555 and then I could hear ambient sounds that with the MMX 300 didn't notice. With the PC 350 I found the sound metallic and claustrophobic.
Now, I'm with a Beyerdynamic DT 150 (wating for a Sony Z7 and I hope to buy soon the Denon AH-D9200) and is a good introduction to the closed realm for a little more of 100 €. That headphone remember me to my HD 555s, because they don't excel in nothing but do all correctly... It's like visualize the hole and enters it, but leave you wanting more, to enter more deeply ...
So, I suggest to you the Beyerdynamic DT 150. You can look at "DT 150 thread" here and there are a lot of good impressions.
Mhog55
Headphoneus Supremus
Another great shootout
Here's a review of a few of the sub-$1,000 headphones in my collection, the Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back, the Campfire Audio Cascade, and the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed.
Let's hop to it!
All headphones were tested with their stock cables. I have not done any mods to any of these 3 headphones.
Bass
The LCD-2 Closed Back has a typical planar-magnetic bass presentation, with tight, snappy beats and a speedy decay. Transients are also fast and well-defined. Thankfully, with a slight push in the mid-bass, it avoids sounding sterile; the slight hump provides a good degree of rumble and authority. Overall, the Audeze has the cleanest lows within this trio. If you love fast, tight bass, but you still need that little bit of rumble and slam, the LCD-2 Closed Back provides a near-perfect experience.
The Campfire Audio Cascade, however, simply does away with any pleasantries introduced by the LCD-2 Closed Back. With a mammoth injection of mid-bass, the Cascade has the strongest and most prominent low-end presence. If you love a huge bass section, you will definitely gravitate toward the Campfire headphone; it is thick and flavorful, with a visceral, tangible punch. However, with its massive mid-bass bump comes a slew of issues - decay is slow on the Cascade, and the excessive mid-bass bleeds into the lower-mids. Thankfully, it retains impressive texture, so if you can find a way to tone down the mid-bass bloat, you'll enjoy the lows on them.
Lastly, the AEON 2 Closed takes a middle-ground between the 2; it hovers closer to the Audeze than it does the Campfire Audio, though. Lows are prominent, with a nice, textured layer of warmth and bloom in the lower registers. There is very good sub-bass rumble on the Dan Clark headphone, probably the best of the 3. Impact is decent, albeit a little soft around the edges. If you want clean, fast, articulate lows, à la typical planars, the AEON 2 Closed does not do the job adequately. In fact, at times it sounds closer to a dynamic driver than it does a planar. I'm not knocking it, though - I generally prefer the sound of a well-tuned dynamic.
Winner: The AEON 2 Closed provides a good blend of the 2. It isn't as heavy in the lows as the Cascade, but it doesn't sound as defined or sculpted as the LCD-2 Closed either. However, if you want tight, clean bass, choose the Audeze instead. If all you want is strong, textured lows, the Cascade might just fit the bill.
Midrange
The midrange on the LCD-2 Closed Back is the most forward of the 3, but only by a hair over the AEON 2 Closed. Vocals are chiseled well, with a strong presence. There is a slight hint of warmth throughout; this isn't pervasive, though. As with its vocal reproduction capabilities, instruments are similarly well-defined. Overall, the midrange on the Audeze is clear and distinct. However, it sounds the least organic, with a slight metallic timbre throughout.
Switching to the Cascade, you'll notice a world of change. "Thanks" to its excessive mid-bass, there is bleed into the lower-mids, causing some degree of congestion. Thankfully, mids have a natural tone; everything sounds smooth, full and lush. However, it can also sound mushy and diffuse. To make things worse, as the midrange section is the most recessed of the 3, vocals sound distant and, at times, detached.
The AEON 2 Closed fixes a lot of the issues present in the aforementioned 2 headphones. It has forward mids, relative to the Cascade, so vocals and instruments are immediately more distinct and palpable. With a slight bloom in the midrange, and a richness that is lacking in the LCD-2 Closed Back, the Dan Clark headphone has the most authoritative vocals on display. To top it all off, it has the most organic timbre. In contrast with the Audeze, the AEON 2 Closed loses out in a sheer definition in the mids.
Winner: Quite easily, the AEON 2 Closed. It has the most natural vocal reproduction capabilities of the 3, and has mids that are relatively clean and free of bloat or congestion. The LCD-2 Closed has a clear and expressive midrange; however, it didn't sound too natural to my ears. Lastly, the Cascade has a warm and lush midrange, but it is marred by excessive mush.
Treble
The LCD-2 Closed Back is easily the brightest of the 3 headphones. Highs are brilliant with good articulation. Neither of the 3 headphones are airy-sounding (naturally), but the Audeze does the best job of simulating this aspect. However, the LCD-2 Closed Back also has the unfortunate tendency of sounding a little too shrill at times, a tad too harsh on occasion. However, it has the best treble extension of the lot.
The Cascade, sadly, has highs that are muted in comparison with its 2 contemporaries. It lacks air and clarity, and has poor extension, with an apparent roll-off at the upper registers. Thankfully, it retains some decent sparkle, with adequate control.
Lastly, the AEON 2 Closed does a good job of crafting a great treble presentation. It isn't as bright as the LCD-2 Closed Back, but it's nearly there, with brilliant highs that are sprinkled with fine grain and coated in a layer of sparkle. It also has good control, so you don't approach harsh territory with the Dan Clark Audio. As with the Audeze, the treble on display is well-defined, with great articulation.
Winner: It's a tie between the LCD-2 Closed Back and the AEON 2 Closed. If you want brighter highs, and you're not sensitive to sibilance, the Audeze provides a better experience, with a clean treble section. The AEON 2 Closed dials it down a notch in terms of brightness, but retains sparkle and good control.
Technicalities
The Audeze is the most resolving headphone in this shootout, but only by a small margin over the AEON 2 Closed. Micro-detail retrieval is effortless. It also ticks a lot of the other pertinent boxes - it has good layering, very good dynamics, and reproduces detail without a sweat in crowded passages.
The Cascade, at first glance, has no resolving capabilities. Of course, you'll have to listen better, as its technical chops are masked under all that bass. It doesn't reproduce detail in as facile a manner as the LCD-2 Closed Back, but it does do a pretty decent job in this territory. However, it struggles to separate instruments into distinct components, resulting in cramped and congested sound.
The AEON 2 Closed, as always, stays either a step ahead or behind the LCD-2 Closed Back. In this aspect, it lags by a hair - it has very good resolution, too. The Dan Clark headphone doesn't struggle to match the Audeze in terms of clarity and detail; however, there's a slight bloom in its sound that tends to cast a veil over its sound, but only by a very fine margin.
Winner: The LCD-2 Closed takes the trophy in this round, with an effortless ability to reproduce micro-detail. Clarity is its trump card, with the other 2 lagging behind in these aspects; the AEON 2 Closed a half-step down, with the Cascade several rungs beneath.
Soundstage & Imaging
The LCD-2 Closed Back has the widest stage of the 3, with good depth into the furthest reaches of the stage. It produces very good imaging cues throughout.
The Cascade doesn't have as wide a sound scape, but surprisingly, it has the deepest stage. It also has precise imaging chops.
The AEON 2 Closed doesn't fare very well here, with the smallest stage of the 3. It has the most intimate sound. Left-to-right imaging is also average.
Winner: Probably the LCD-2 Closed Back, but not by much over the Cascade. The AEON 2 Closed was the loser in this category.
Comfort
Bottom-line, the LCD-2 Closed Back is not comfortable, period. It is heavy and has the tightest clamp. This is a deadly duo, as far as comfort is concerned. The pads are also nothing to write home about. Ouch.
The Cascade is lighter, with a moderate clamp. It isn't the most comfortable headphone, but it's far from being an uncomfortable one, too. I have used it for 2-3 hours at a go, and I didn't suffer any permanent neck damage.
The AEON 2 Closed is clearly the winner in this category. It is the lightest, with a really comfortable headband. The pads are also decently enveloping; they also feel the most plush of the 3. Good job!
Winner: There is only 1. Then there is the Cascade, trailing behind. At the bottom of the charts, you have the LCD-2 Closed Back.
Final Thoughts
My initial thoughts were confirmed in this shootout - the LCD-2 Closed Back and the AEON 2 Closed are the 2 best headphones, with the Cascade lagging by some margin. I don't think that the Campfire Audio headphone is bad per se, but the excessive bass bloat presents a world of issues.
If you're in the market for a bass-slanted planar, exhibiting the typical planar strengths, the LCD-2 Closed is an easy choice for consideration within the sub-$1,000 mark. It has great technical capabilities, with well-defined bass and treble sections. Unfortunately, it also sounds the least natural of the 3.
The AEON 2 Closed is my personal favorite; it probably comes within 95% of the Audeze in terms of clarity and detail, but blends a warm, natural and lush tone with decent-to-good technical capabilities to afford the most musical signature of the 3.
Terriero
Headphoneus Supremus
@Malevolent if you continue like that, you should be on Patreon... Maybe a few of us pay for your exquisite reviews...
Mhog55
Headphoneus Supremus
Can these be used balanced? If so, any leads on where to source a balanced cable?I had bad experiencies with closed back headphones in the past (Beyerdynamic MMX 300 first generation and Sennheiser PC 350). I remember playing Bioshock 1 with the MMX 300 and switched to my old Sennheiser HD 555 and then I could hear ambient sounds that with the MMX 300 didn't notice. With the PC 350 I found the sound metallic and claustrophobic.
Now, I'm with a Beyerdynamic DT 150 (wating for a Sony Z7 and I hope to buy soon the Denon AH-D9200) and is a good introduction to the closed realm for a little more of 100 €. That headphone remember me to my HD 555s, because they don't excel in nothing but do all correctly... It's like visualize the hole and enters it, but leave you wanting more, to enter more deeply ...
So, I suggest to you the Beyerdynamic DT 150. You can look at "DT 150 thread" here and there are a lot of good impressions.
Here's a review of a few of the sub-$1,000 headphones in my collection, the Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back, the Campfire Audio Cascade, and the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed.
Let's hop to it!
All headphones were tested with their stock cables. I have not done any mods to any of these 3 headphones.
Bass
The LCD-2 Closed Back has a typical planar-magnetic bass presentation, with tight, snappy beats and a speedy decay. Transients are also fast and well-defined. Thankfully, with a slight push in the mid-bass, it avoids sounding sterile; the slight hump provides a good degree of rumble and authority. Overall, the Audeze has the cleanest lows within this trio. If you love fast, tight bass, but you still need that little bit of rumble and slam, the LCD-2 Closed Back provides a near-perfect experience.
The Campfire Audio Cascade, however, simply does away with any pleasantries introduced by the LCD-2 Closed Back. With a mammoth injection of mid-bass, the Cascade has the strongest and most prominent low-end presence. If you love a huge bass section, you will definitely gravitate toward the Campfire headphone; it is thick and flavorful, with a visceral, tangible punch. However, with its massive mid-bass bump comes a slew of issues - decay is slow on the Cascade, and the excessive mid-bass bleeds into the lower-mids. Thankfully, it retains impressive texture, so if you can find a way to tone down the mid-bass bloat, you'll enjoy the lows on them.
Lastly, the AEON 2 Closed takes a middle-ground between the 2; it hovers closer to the Audeze than it does the Campfire Audio, though. Lows are prominent, with a nice, textured layer of warmth and bloom in the lower registers. There is very good sub-bass rumble on the Dan Clark headphone, probably the best of the 3. Impact is decent, albeit a little soft around the edges. If you want clean, fast, articulate lows, à la typical planars, the AEON 2 Closed does not do the job adequately. In fact, at times it sounds closer to a dynamic driver than it does a planar. I'm not knocking it, though - I generally prefer the sound of a well-tuned dynamic.
Winner: The AEON 2 Closed provides a good blend of the 2. It isn't as heavy in the lows as the Cascade, but it doesn't sound as defined or sculpted as the LCD-2 Closed either. However, if you want tight, clean bass, choose the Audeze instead. If all you want is strong, textured lows, the Cascade might just fit the bill.
Midrange
The midrange on the LCD-2 Closed Back is the most forward of the 3, but only by a hair over the AEON 2 Closed. Vocals are chiseled well, with a strong presence. There is a slight hint of warmth throughout; this isn't pervasive, though. As with its vocal reproduction capabilities, instruments are similarly well-defined. Overall, the midrange on the Audeze is clear and distinct. However, it sounds the least organic, with a slight metallic timbre throughout.
Switching to the Cascade, you'll notice a world of change. "Thanks" to its excessive mid-bass, there is bleed into the lower-mids, causing some degree of congestion. Thankfully, mids have a natural tone; everything sounds smooth, full and lush. However, it can also sound mushy and diffuse. To make things worse, as the midrange section is the most recessed of the 3, vocals sound distant and, at times, detached.
The AEON 2 Closed fixes a lot of the issues present in the aforementioned 2 headphones. It has forward mids, relative to the Cascade, so vocals and instruments are immediately more distinct and palpable. With a slight bloom in the midrange, and a richness that is lacking in the LCD-2 Closed Back, the Dan Clark headphone has the most authoritative vocals on display. To top it all off, it has the most organic timbre. In contrast with the Audeze, the AEON 2 Closed loses out in a sheer definition in the mids.
Winner: Quite easily, the AEON 2 Closed. It has the most natural vocal reproduction capabilities of the 3, and has mids that are relatively clean and free of bloat or congestion. The LCD-2 Closed has a clear and expressive midrange; however, it didn't sound too natural to my ears. Lastly, the Cascade has a warm and lush midrange, but it is marred by excessive mush.
Treble
The LCD-2 Closed Back is easily the brightest of the 3 headphones. Highs are brilliant with good articulation. Neither of the 3 headphones are airy-sounding (naturally), but the Audeze does the best job of simulating this aspect. However, the LCD-2 Closed Back also has the unfortunate tendency of sounding a little too shrill at times, a tad too harsh on occasion. However, it has the best treble extension of the lot.
The Cascade, sadly, has highs that are muted in comparison with its 2 contemporaries. It lacks air and clarity, and has poor extension, with an apparent roll-off at the upper registers. Thankfully, it retains some decent sparkle, with adequate control.
Lastly, the AEON 2 Closed does a good job of crafting a great treble presentation. It isn't as bright as the LCD-2 Closed Back, but it's nearly there, with brilliant highs that are sprinkled with fine grain and coated in a layer of sparkle. It also has good control, so you don't approach harsh territory with the Dan Clark Audio. As with the Audeze, the treble on display is well-defined, with great articulation.
Winner: It's a tie between the LCD-2 Closed Back and the AEON 2 Closed. If you want brighter highs, and you're not sensitive to sibilance, the Audeze provides a better experience, with a clean treble section. The AEON 2 Closed dials it down a notch in terms of brightness, but retains sparkle and good control.
Technicalities
The Audeze is the most resolving headphone in this shootout, but only by a small margin over the AEON 2 Closed. Micro-detail retrieval is effortless. It also ticks a lot of the other pertinent boxes - it has good layering, very good dynamics, and reproduces detail without a sweat in crowded passages.
The Cascade, at first glance, has no resolving capabilities. Of course, you'll have to listen better, as its technical chops are masked under all that bass. It doesn't reproduce detail in as facile a manner as the LCD-2 Closed Back, but it does do a pretty decent job in this territory. However, it struggles to separate instruments into distinct components, resulting in cramped and congested sound.
The AEON 2 Closed, as always, stays either a step ahead or behind the LCD-2 Closed Back. In this aspect, it lags by a hair - it has very good resolution, too. The Dan Clark headphone doesn't struggle to match the Audeze in terms of clarity and detail; however, there's a slight bloom in its sound that tends to cast a veil over its sound, but only by a very fine margin.
Winner: The LCD-2 Closed takes the trophy in this round, with an effortless ability to reproduce micro-detail. Clarity is its trump card, with the other 2 lagging behind in these aspects; the AEON 2 Closed a half-step down, with the Cascade several rungs beneath.
Soundstage & Imaging
The LCD-2 Closed Back has the widest stage of the 3, with good depth into the furthest reaches of the stage. It produces very good imaging cues throughout.
The Cascade doesn't have as wide a sound scape, but surprisingly, it has the deepest stage. It also has precise imaging chops.
The AEON 2 Closed doesn't fare very well here, with the smallest stage of the 3. It has the most intimate sound. Left-to-right imaging is also average.
Winner: Probably the LCD-2 Closed Back, but not by much over the Cascade. The AEON 2 Closed was the loser in this category.
Comfort
Bottom-line, the LCD-2 Closed Back is not comfortable, period. It is heavy and has the tightest clamp. This is a deadly duo, as far as comfort is concerned. The pads are also nothing to write home about. Ouch.
The Cascade is lighter, with a moderate clamp. It isn't the most comfortable headphone, but it's far from being an uncomfortable one, too. I have used it for 2-3 hours at a go, and I didn't suffer any permanent neck damage.
The AEON 2 Closed is clearly the winner in this category. It is the lightest, with a really comfortable headband. The pads are also decently enveloping; they also feel the most plush of the 3. Good job!
Winner: There is only 1. Then there is the Cascade, trailing behind. At the bottom of the charts, you have the LCD-2 Closed Back.
Final Thoughts
My initial thoughts were confirmed in this shootout - the LCD-2 Closed Back and the AEON 2 Closed are the 2 best headphones, with the Cascade lagging by some margin. I don't think that the Campfire Audio headphone is bad per se, but the excessive bass bloat presents a world of issues.
If you're in the market for a bass-slanted planar, exhibiting the typical planar strengths, the LCD-2 Closed is an easy choice for consideration within the sub-$1,000 mark. It has great technical capabilities, with well-defined bass and treble sections. Unfortunately, it also sounds the least natural of the 3.
The AEON 2 Closed is my personal favorite; it probably comes within 95% of the Audeze in terms of clarity and detail, but blends a warm, natural and lush tone with decent-to-good technical capabilities to afford the most musical signature of the 3.
Nice review! Having personally sat with both the lcd-2 and the aeon2 for a few hours, I MUCH preferred the Aeon2. It was very comfortable, had very good isolation, and great sound. It's a very nice HP for the money. I was quite astonished at the weight of the lcd-2.... like having a brick on your head! A brick with pads anyway.
A couple things I'd toss in as well:
1- The Aeon2's come with 'tuning pads', so you can make slight adjustments to the sound to fit the specific preference to what you ears like best. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed the bright & forward treble, so I kept them stock.
2- the Aeon2 has an impedance and sensitivity combination that makes them all but un-useable for a direct connection to either cell phone or computer sound card, unless you have an amp (the Ether C Flow 1.1 is also built similarly). Without an amp, at full volume - 100/100 - on my computer, the sound was about the same as other HP's with the sound at 30-40/100.
GREQ
Headphoneus Supremus
Feels a bit odd throwing the Campfire Audio into a shootout between two closed-back planars, not to mention it's rather 'unique' tuning.
Here's a review of a few of the sub-$1,000 headphones in my collection, the Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back, the Campfire Audio Cascade, and the Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed.
Let's hop to it!
All headphones were tested with their stock cables. I have not done any mods to any of these 3 headphones.
Bass
The LCD-2 Closed Back has a typical planar-magnetic bass presentation, with tight, snappy beats and a speedy decay. Transients are also fast and well-defined. Thankfully, with a slight push in the mid-bass, it avoids sounding sterile; the slight hump provides a good degree of rumble and authority. Overall, the Audeze has the cleanest lows within this trio. If you love fast, tight bass, but you still need that little bit of rumble and slam, the LCD-2 Closed Back provides a near-perfect experience.
The Campfire Audio Cascade, however, simply does away with any pleasantries introduced by the LCD-2 Closed Back. With a mammoth injection of mid-bass, the Cascade has the strongest and most prominent low-end presence. If you love a huge bass section, you will definitely gravitate toward the Campfire headphone; it is thick and flavorful, with a visceral, tangible punch. However, with its massive mid-bass bump comes a slew of issues - decay is slow on the Cascade, and the excessive mid-bass bleeds into the lower-mids. Thankfully, it retains impressive texture, so if you can find a way to tone down the mid-bass bloat, you'll enjoy the lows on them.
Lastly, the AEON 2 Closed takes a middle-ground between the 2; it hovers closer to the Audeze than it does the Campfire Audio, though. Lows are prominent, with a nice, textured layer of warmth and bloom in the lower registers. There is very good sub-bass rumble on the Dan Clark headphone, probably the best of the 3. Impact is decent, albeit a little soft around the edges. If you want clean, fast, articulate lows, à la typical planars, the AEON 2 Closed does not do the job adequately. In fact, at times it sounds closer to a dynamic driver than it does a planar. I'm not knocking it, though - I generally prefer the sound of a well-tuned dynamic.
Winner: The AEON 2 Closed provides a good blend of the 2. It isn't as heavy in the lows as the Cascade, but it doesn't sound as defined or sculpted as the LCD-2 Closed either. However, if you want tight, clean bass, choose the Audeze instead. If all you want is strong, textured lows, the Cascade might just fit the bill.
Midrange
The midrange on the LCD-2 Closed Back is the most forward of the 3, but only by a hair over the AEON 2 Closed. Vocals are chiseled well, with a strong presence. There is a slight hint of warmth throughout; this isn't pervasive, though. As with its vocal reproduction capabilities, instruments are similarly well-defined. Overall, the midrange on the Audeze is clear and distinct. However, it sounds the least organic, with a slight metallic timbre throughout.
Switching to the Cascade, you'll notice a world of change. "Thanks" to its excessive mid-bass, there is bleed into the lower-mids, causing some degree of congestion. Thankfully, mids have a natural tone; everything sounds smooth, full and lush. However, it can also sound mushy and diffuse. To make things worse, as the midrange section is the most recessed of the 3, vocals sound distant and, at times, detached.
The AEON 2 Closed fixes a lot of the issues present in the aforementioned 2 headphones. It has forward mids, relative to the Cascade, so vocals and instruments are immediately more distinct and palpable. With a slight bloom in the midrange, and a richness that is lacking in the LCD-2 Closed Back, the Dan Clark headphone has the most authoritative vocals on display. To top it all off, it has the most organic timbre. In contrast with the Audeze, the AEON 2 Closed loses out in a sheer definition in the mids.
Winner: Quite easily, the AEON 2 Closed. It has the most natural vocal reproduction capabilities of the 3, and has mids that are relatively clean and free of bloat or congestion. The LCD-2 Closed has a clear and expressive midrange; however, it didn't sound too natural to my ears. Lastly, the Cascade has a warm and lush midrange, but it is marred by excessive mush.
Treble
The LCD-2 Closed Back is easily the brightest of the 3 headphones. Highs are brilliant with good articulation. Neither of the 3 headphones are airy-sounding (naturally), but the Audeze does the best job of simulating this aspect. However, the LCD-2 Closed Back also has the unfortunate tendency of sounding a little too shrill at times, a tad too harsh on occasion. However, it has the best treble extension of the lot.
The Cascade, sadly, has highs that are muted in comparison with its 2 contemporaries. It lacks air and clarity, and has poor extension, with an apparent roll-off at the upper registers. Thankfully, it retains some decent sparkle, with adequate control.
Lastly, the AEON 2 Closed does a good job of crafting a great treble presentation. It isn't as bright as the LCD-2 Closed Back, but it's nearly there, with brilliant highs that are sprinkled with fine grain and coated in a layer of sparkle. It also has good control, so you don't approach harsh territory with the Dan Clark Audio. As with the Audeze, the treble on display is well-defined, with great articulation.
Winner: It's a tie between the LCD-2 Closed Back and the AEON 2 Closed. If you want brighter highs, and you're not sensitive to sibilance, the Audeze provides a better experience, with a clean treble section. The AEON 2 Closed dials it down a notch in terms of brightness, but retains sparkle and good control.
Technicalities
The Audeze is the most resolving headphone in this shootout, but only by a small margin over the AEON 2 Closed. Micro-detail retrieval is effortless. It also ticks a lot of the other pertinent boxes - it has good layering, very good dynamics, and reproduces detail without a sweat in crowded passages.
The Cascade, at first glance, has no resolving capabilities. Of course, you'll have to listen better, as its technical chops are masked under all that bass. It doesn't reproduce detail in as facile a manner as the LCD-2 Closed Back, but it does do a pretty decent job in this territory. However, it struggles to separate instruments into distinct components, resulting in cramped and congested sound.
The AEON 2 Closed, as always, stays either a step ahead or behind the LCD-2 Closed Back. In this aspect, it lags by a hair - it has very good resolution, too. The Dan Clark headphone doesn't struggle to match the Audeze in terms of clarity and detail; however, there's a slight bloom in its sound that tends to cast a veil over its sound, but only by a very fine margin.
Winner: The LCD-2 Closed takes the trophy in this round, with an effortless ability to reproduce micro-detail. Clarity is its trump card, with the other 2 lagging behind in these aspects; the AEON 2 Closed a half-step down, with the Cascade several rungs beneath.
Soundstage & Imaging
The LCD-2 Closed Back has the widest stage of the 3, with good depth into the furthest reaches of the stage. It produces very good imaging cues throughout.
The Cascade doesn't have as wide a sound scape, but surprisingly, it has the deepest stage. It also has precise imaging chops.
The AEON 2 Closed doesn't fare very well here, with the smallest stage of the 3. It has the most intimate sound. Left-to-right imaging is also average.
Winner: Probably the LCD-2 Closed Back, but not by much over the Cascade. The AEON 2 Closed was the loser in this category.
Comfort
Bottom-line, the LCD-2 Closed Back is not comfortable, period. It is heavy and has the tightest clamp. This is a deadly duo, as far as comfort is concerned. The pads are also nothing to write home about. Ouch.
The Cascade is lighter, with a moderate clamp. It isn't the most comfortable headphone, but it's far from being an uncomfortable one, too. I have used it for 2-3 hours at a go, and I didn't suffer any permanent neck damage.
The AEON 2 Closed is clearly the winner in this category. It is the lightest, with a really comfortable headband. The pads are also decently enveloping; they also feel the most plush of the 3. Good job!
Winner: There is only 1. Then there is the Cascade, trailing behind. At the bottom of the charts, you have the LCD-2 Closed Back.
Final Thoughts
My initial thoughts were confirmed in this shootout - the LCD-2 Closed Back and the AEON 2 Closed are the 2 best headphones, with the Cascade lagging by some margin. I don't think that the Campfire Audio headphone is bad per se, but the excessive bass bloat presents a world of issues.
If you're in the market for a bass-slanted planar, exhibiting the typical planar strengths, the LCD-2 Closed is an easy choice for consideration within the sub-$1,000 mark. It has great technical capabilities, with well-defined bass and treble sections. Unfortunately, it also sounds the least natural of the 3.
The AEON 2 Closed is my personal favorite; it probably comes within 95% of the Audeze in terms of clarity and detail, but blends a warm, natural and lush tone with decent-to-good technical capabilities to afford the most musical signature of the 3.
That said... what on earth would make a more logical comparison with the Campfire?.... B+W P9?.... DT1770 Pro?....
Nice write up though. Sometimes it's good to compare the ones that are wildly different too, especially if, like me, you enjoy a variety of flavours.
Max Choiral
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Definitely not
GREQ
Headphoneus Supremus
Just thinking about what's currently on the market with different amounts of (extreme) BASSSSSSSS.Definitely not
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